Child of War
by TimeSeerStudios
Summary: Two years after the events of the Underland Chronicles, and one year after Blood of Olympus, Gregor and his family are enjoying a peaceful life far from the troubles of New York City. That is, until strange, fiendish creatures begin to appear more and more frequently, that Gregor is certain should not exist. What will he do now, as the Warrior is forcibly resurrected once more..?
1. Prologue: The Warrior

It was a nice day.

A brilliant blue sky hung overhead, dotted with fluffy, white clouds that looked a lot like puffs of cotton. A warm breeze rustled the grass, and brushed across the fields of wheat… A little robin sang up in the trees somewhere, and insects chittered down below. The family farm really couldn't have been a more peaceful place if it tried.

Here, the horrors of the Underland and its wars seemed so very, very far away.

So why wouldn't those frightful images leave Gregor alone?

He could still remember it all so vividly… Each prophecy had been worse than the last, bringing more death, more pain, and more scars. And best of all, each had starred him as the Warrior, the one who was supposedly going to set it all right. But he hadn't, not really. He'd seen so many people die. Maybe they didn't look like people, but they thought, they felt, they understood, just like any human. So, what was the difference, really..?

And then there had been the last prophecy, the worst.

 _… And when the Warrior has been_ _ **killed**_ _._..

Gregor could still remember, thinking back… How he had prepared himself for the final battle, believing with unsettling certainty that he wasn't going to come back alive. Knowing this was his last goodbye, defeating an evil too terrible to let live. The recognition that in the end, he and the Bane weren't so different… Both just tools of fate, puppets to Sandwich's prophecies, forced into a role they never asked for.

Except, **he hadn't died.**

"Gregor, look!" A familiar little voice called out, snapping the former Warrior from his thoughts. Blinking, he glanced down– and spotted the source; his little sister, Boots. A lone butterfly had landed right on her nose, and the girl's eyes were crossed to watch it. Gregor grinned, hopping off the tree stump where he was perched… If there was one thing Boots was good at, it was cheering up everyone around her. That was one thing that had never changed– and Gregor hoped it never would.

The tiny, colorful creature flapped its wings, prompting a giggle from Boots. Even after everything they had been through, she was just so… Innocent. Did she even remember what had happened? If so, the little girl sure didn't show any signs of it.

"That's a really pretty one," Gregor commented, and it really was, too. Vivid colors and intricate patterns were traced across the delicate wings, like carefully crafted stained glass windows. The sunlight caught them just right, making them shine… Or was there something more to it than that?

Suddenly the insect took flight, fluttering a few circles around their heads. Boots let out a surprised "Oh!" and watched it with interest, eyes wide. It lingered briefly, then headed off for the woods… Gregor's sister started to follow, until he caught her shoulder protectively, a sudden feeling of caution rising in his chest.

What was that glint between the trees just now? Had it been his imagination… Or was that the gleam of watching eyes?

"Boots," he suggested, "Wanna go swing? I'll push you."

"Yeah!" she agreed immediately, the butterfly already forgotten.

* * *

It wasn't the first time that Gregor had seen strange things since the family moved to Virginia. Part of him wondered if the wars he'd fought in had finally taken their toll, and he was beginning to imagine new dangers now that there were no real ones to face.

It would certainly explain a lot.

"Higher!" commanded Boots brightly, and Gregor gave her another push on the handcrafted wooden swing. It hung from an old oak tree beside the house, and nobody was really sure how old it was, exactly; it'd been built pretty sturdy though, that was for sure. It was little more than a wooden plank with a few holes and rope, but sometimes that was all you needed.

If only everything could be that simple.

Boots giggled with glee as Gregor pushed her again… She'd always loved the Fliers down in the Underland. Maybe riding a swing wasn't too comparable to soaring through the dark on the back of a giant, sentient bat, but it was probably the closest you could get in the Overland.

A sudden movement caught Gregor's eye. A few birds had gathered in the branches up above them; strange as it was, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were watching them. _Great job Gregor, now you're suspicious of_ _ **crows.**_ They really did look like crows, actually, or maybe ravens… Though their red eyes looked maybe a bit **too** bright.

 _Wait… Since when do crows have red eyes?_

"Gregor, Boots!" called their mother's voice from the farmhouse's backdoor. "Time for dinner!" The boy shook the odd thoughts from his head… _There's no way. I'm definitely losing it._

"Coming, mom!" he yelled back, looking back to Boots. As she came back down, he reached out and caught the ropes, slowing her to a stop. "Time to head inside, Boots."

"Awwwwwwww," came the response, but before she could complain any further, Gregor playfully scooped her off the swing, doing a little twirl with the girl in his arms; her frown had switched back to a smile within moments. Setting her back down, the boy led the way back to the house…

… A few strange screeching cries came from the tree. He glanced back at the birds. A chill shot straight down his spine as their eyes met his. _They're still watching us._

Gregor didn't take his gaze off them until he and his sister were both safely inside.

* * *

"So, Gregor, have you met anyone nice at school yet?"

It was always the same question, and always the same response.

"Well, I've been sitting with a couple kids at lunch…"

The truth was, Gregor barely talked to them, but it wasn't really because he didn't **want** to. It was almost like he couldn't help it anymore. The boy had never been especially outgoing as it was, and after everything that had happened… He just didn't feel like a part of this world anymore.

"Lizzie, how's your science project going?" Gregor's father interjected, recognizing the tension. Gregor gave him a grateful look, then resumed munching on a corn cob… Anything that got the spotlight off of him was definitely appreciated. Besides, he'd been wondering how Lizzie's model was going, too; she was doing a model of the solar system, with accurate relative sizes, too. Gregor had seen her working on it a few times, and he had to admit it was looking pretty impressive even back then.

The question brought her right into the conversation, and soon enough she was happily chattering about how far she'd gotten, and how many moons Jupiter had, and the size difference between Earth and Mars.

It was always nice, seeing her get so excited about science. Lizzie was definitely the one who'd inherited their dad's brilliant mind.

 _And then there's me, the guy who's just good at killing things._

Maybe that was a little harsh, but it was true. While Lizzie had helped solve break the code that won the Underland's war, Gregor's own skill had been an unexpected one. He had been discovered to be what the Underlanders call a Rager, someone with a remarkable set of reflexes and natural instinct for combat. It wasn't exactly something Gregor was proud of.

Maybe it had saved his life, but it had taken a lot of others in return.

"That's really cool," Gregor told her appreciatively, even if a lot of what she'd said flew right over his head. "Maybe you can bring it out and show us after dinner?"

"I can do that!" Lizzie agreed briskly, more than happy to share her work so far. "It's not all painted yet, but you can still tell the planets apart."

The rest of dinner was filled with cheery chatter about the wonders of the universe, and Gregor was pretty okay with that. It was just nice to have a normal conversation, really. For a little while, they could have been a perfectly ordinary family, with a perfectly ordinary past.

Gregor wished that feeling could last forever.

* * *

Classes the next day would have been pretty normal, if it wasn't for the vampire teaching his English class.

"Hello," spoke an unfamiliar voice as Gregor took a seat… "I am Ms. Smith, and I will be your substitute teacher today." He glanced to the substitute in question; a young lady was standing at the blackboard, with pretty red curls, and sharp green eyes. For some reason, Gregor was oddly conflicted. On the one hand, there was just something so… Likable about her, as though you could just feel the charisma pouring off the lady.

But on the other, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was… Wrong.

 _I'm just being paranoid again. I mean, she's just a teacher._

Gregor shoved his anxiety back down, and got out his notebook. Whatever feelings of confusion and uncertainty he felt, they could wait for later. For now, he had more pressing issues. Like, say, the notes she was already scratching out on the board…

* * *

The rest of the class had been ordinary enough, but just as Gregor was about to head out the door…

"Dear, you seem unwell," the sub told him, catching Gregor off-guard. "Would you mind staying after class?" He blinked, a bit confused by the odd behavior… And by the realization that he hadn't even heard her coming.

"I have another class after this, can I come back after school instead?" There was an odd flash in her eyes, for just a moment. Irritation?

"… Very well, but do hurry back."

The grip on his arm released… It wasn't until that moment he realized just how strong it had been. This teacher was getting stranger and stranger… Maybe the warning bells in his head weren't as incorrect as he'd thought.

 _She's just a teacher. Nothing to be afraid of._

Gregor's next classes seemed almost to fly by, thoughts of the bizarre incident running through his mind… Just what was going on? What was she wanting him to come back for? Who was this person, anyway?

 _I'm just over-thinking this. That's all._

Before he knew it, the bell had rung ending his last class… And without even thinking about it, he found himself back at that door. The room where his English class was, and where that weird sub had wanted to meet him…

 _This doesn't feel right._

He reached out, and opened the door. Ms. Smith was on the other side, waiting. _How did she know I was here?_ Gregor stepped inside, and the door shut behind him. _There's something weird about that smile._ She looked maybe a little too happy to see him.

As she led the teen back further into the room, an odd sound caught his attention… A metallic noise, right in time with one of her footsteps. _A metal leg? Prosthetic, maybe?_ She did walk a bit strangely, come to think of it. Why hadn't he noticed that before?

"So, dear," she asked in a voice like silk, "Does anyone else know you're here?" _That's a weird question. Why would she ask that?_

"No," he answered automatically. _Why did I_ _ **tell**_ _her that?_ The woman's smile widened. _Her teeth look weird. Are those fangs?_ The alarm bells were ringing again, louder than ever before. Every fiber of his being wanted to take off– or maybe plow a desk through the whatever-it-was standing before him.

Eyes like burning coals watched him with interest, like one might inspect an insect crawling on the ground. _She's not human._ Gregor wasn't sure why that thought came to mind, but suddenly he was certain of it.

"Good. I wouldn't want anyone interrupting my audience with the famed 'Warrior,' now would I?"

 _How does she know–_

Gregor never got the chance to finish that thought, because the next moment, the creature standing before him was no longer Ms. Smith.

Red hair twisted into flames, fingers into wicked claws… But weirder still, it looked as though half her body was made of brass. One arm, and one leg… No, one hoof. Her metal leg was that of a goat, or it sure looked that way.

 _This is a dream. Just a bad dream._

"Now, hold still. **This will only take a moment.** "


	2. Chapter 1: Going Greek

For the first time ever, Gregor silently thanked the powers that be for the existence of heavy, wooden school-desks.

Before Gregor stood a flaming, half bronze vampire with hooves, and he couldn't move a muscle. Every fiber of his being was shrieking at him to _RUN, GET AWAY FROM THAT THING,_ but it was like he was frozen in place. His legs wouldn't respond, as though he had been turned to stone. Gregor had felt helpless many times in his life, but never like this.

And then a startling voice cut through the horrible scene, shouting from the doorway.

"Hey, fang-freak! I'm pretty sure this qualifies as an inappropriate teacher-student interaction!" Gregor knew that voice... And apparently the 'fang-freak' in question did as well, since her scorching gaze immediately snapped away with a flash of recognition, a vicious snarl curling her lip. "I'll have to ask you to kindly step away from the demigod!"

Suddenly, the eye contact broken, Gregor realized he could move again. Staggering backward, he bumped into the desks behind him, nearly falling backwards over them. However, his attention was fully on the speaker who had most likely just saved his life.

It was one of the kids he sat with at lunch; what was his name again? Gregor wished he could remember, considering the guy just risked his hide by enraging a furious flaming wraith for him. The kid didn't really seem like the fighting type, though, with his fluffy brown hair that looked like it hadn't been combed in a year, dark chocolate eyes, and an unusual stride that Gregor figured would be rude to ask about... Today he was wearing a ratty maroon college jacket with the initials of what Gregor figured was probably a really reputable school, though he had no idea what they stood for.

Maybe he'd take the time to ask about that afterward, assuming they survived this lovely encounter.

"Stay out of this, wretched little goat!" the fiery being screeched. _Goat? Okay, that's a weird insult._ Then again, lots of things that were being said sounded pretty weird... Like **demigod,** for example. Where had **that** come from? "I think I'll have to give you a detention!" Scorching flames flashed around her clawed fingers...

There was no time to think, only to act.

Gregor grabbed hold of one of the desks, and just as a ball of fire left the monster's hand, shooting straight at the other boy, the makeshift shield soared through the air... **_FWOOSH!_** The tabletop immediately caught alight, and while it didn't block the inferno entirely, it was enough to slow the blazing fireball down. As the kid in the hallway dove behind the wall for cover from the splintered object, smoke and ash and the scent of burnt wood and plastic poured from the explosive collision. Gregor braced himself, covering his face with one sleeve. Some glowing cinders drifted, marking his sweatshirt with spots of dark gray as they burned the fabric...

 _My mom is going to kill me when I get home._

The fire alarm blared, snapping Gregor from the moment of astonishment.

He shot off for the door, bounding right over the scorched tiles and lingering bits of burning debris... Gregor nearly skidded into the lockers, turning just in time- and an arm caught his shoulder.

It was that guy again. The one who'd caught the vampire lady's attention.

"Come on!" he spoke quickly, taking off, just about dragging the former Warrior in the process. Gregor didn't have to be told twice; with the furious flaming creature howling in rage just behind, there was no time to lose. He didn't know what that thing was, but he knew it was really, really bad news... And whoever she was, she **knew him.**

Nothing was more chilling than **that.**

Suddenly, Gregor heard a sharp hissing sound from somewhere behind, and he almost grinned. The sprinklers were going off... Somehow, he doubted their fiery assailant would appreciate that. Even so, he found it hard to be amused with some deadly nightmare right on their tail.

"That thing-" he stammered out as they ran, not daring to look back, "You- you saw that too, right? What **was** that?"

"Empousai!" came the response; "Greek vampire ladies, basically!" That fulfilled Gregor's suspicion... Whoever this kid was, he wasn't exactly 'normal' either. Just what, exactly, was going on here? And more importantly, **why?**

It was then that he noticed something; even though the clopping of their pursuer was too far away to be audible, he could still make out the distinctive noise of hooves clacking on the hard floor... Gregor glanced down, and suddenly the insult from earlier made a lot more sense.

 _He really_ _ **is**_ _a goat._ Or rather, he was **half** goat.

Gregor wasn't sure how or when, but his strange acquaintance seemed to have lost his pants along the way. He suspected it was on purpose, considering the boy sure ran a lot quicker without them. Everything from the waist down was that of a goat, complete with shaggy brown fur, a small tail, and nimble hooves. The teen wasn't sure of the exact name, though he could swear he'd heard of a creature like this in Greek mythology.

 _Greek vampire ladies..._

Gregor had heard the term 'going Greek,' but he was pretty sure this wasn't what it referred to. _I'm_ _ **definitely**_ _losing my mind._ Myths were just that- **myths.** Everybody knew those were just old fairy tales by long-lost civilizations with too much time on their hands... Right?

"You-" Gregor tried to ask, fumbling for the words, "You're not- WHOA!" All at once, a blast of fire shot from behind them; both boys ducked in unison, the flaming strike just narrowly missing. The heat alone was more than enough to sear the hair on the back of Gregor's neck... A moment of hesitation, and they'd both be extra crispy.

"Maybe save the questions for later, buddy!" suggested the goat boy.

"Good idea."

* * *

By the time they'd stopped running, the school was several blocks away, and the sound of fire engines could be heard in the distance... The goat kid started to slow down first, seeming slightly out of breath. Taking note, Gregor brought his pace down as well, and finally they stopped...

"... So." He looked to the other boy, feeling oddly numb. "Either this is the weirdest dream ever, or I just got chased by a flaming Greek vampire, and you're a goat." The boy made a sound that almost sounded like a nervous laugh, but it wasn't... It was more of an irritated **bleat.**

"I'm a satyr, not a goat," the boy corrected. "There's a difference." _Satyr._ Yep, that was definitely the name he recalled... Gregor had never really paid a lot of attention to those old stories, but maybe he should have.

"Got it." Glancing back the way they'd come from, the former Warrior frowned... The place was definitely in flames, he could see the smoke from there. He felt a pang of guilt, but on the other hand... What more could he have **done?** "... Hey, um..." Brown eyes flicked back to the satyr as he fumbled for a name.

"Leif," the other boy supplied. "My name's Leif Rockden." Gregor had thought the name was kind of odd back then, but now it made a bit more sense. Satyrs were supposed to be connected with nature, right..?

"Leif," he resumed, gaze drifting back to the rising clouds of ashen gray... "You called me something earlier. A 'demigod.' What'd you mean by that?" Last Gregor had checked, a demigod was somehow blood-related to the gods... He might have zoned out a bit during that discussion. The satyr sat down on one of the metal street-side benches, patting the spot beside him.

"You might want to sit down," he suggested. "This could get long. Or, you could fall over from shock. That's happened before." Gregor was a bit skeptical of that last bit, but decided it was better to humor his new 'friend.' Taking a seat, the teen vaguely wondered how nobody seemed to notice the other kid's goat half. People were walking right past, as though this was a perfectly ordinary sight.

Maybe they just weren't paying close attention?

"Okay, so," Leif started, "You know about the Greek gods and all that, right?" Gregor nodded once in confirmation. "Well, long story short, they're real, and so are all the stories that come with them. And," he added with a broad gesture towards Gregor, "You're a part of the family tree."

"That's impossible," he decided. "I mean, I think I'd know if I was... You know."

"There's been lots of weird stuff in your life, right?" Gregor felt an odd chill down his spine... "Strange things. Scary things. Things you can't quite explain. Am I right?" The boy didn't have to answer; his expression answered for him.

"You've definitely got the scent," Leif stated, shaking his head a bit. "It's not as strong as I'm used to, so you might be second generation. Do you know both your parents?"

"Yeah," Gregor answered, unable to believe he was really having this conversation.

"Probably second gen then," the satyr confirmed, giving an affirmative nod. "Maybe more, not sure. You've got an awful weird scent even as demigods go. It's a wonder you weren't spotted before now."

"Gee, thanks," Gregor muttered, thinking back to the Underland. Somehow, he had a feeling you couldn't wash off the stink of immortal lineage. "So, what now? What happens from here?" _If I'm second generation, does that mean Lizzie and Boots are in danger too?_ The whole situation seemed so bizarre and unreal, but so did the rest of his life...

"Well." Leif leaned back on the bench a bit, crossing one goat leg over the other. "There's a place for people like you. It's a refuge of sorts, where you can learn the ropes of the godly Greek world. You're not the only demigod out there, far from it actually. That's why they send out scouts like me to sniff you out. You'll be safe there, and it'll keep the monsters away from home, too."

That cold feeling started again, deep down. "I can't just leave," Gregor protested. "I still have classes to finish, and that's not even mentioning my **family..."** He cringed internally at the thought. The memory of his mother, sitting alone at the kitchen table until late in the night, waiting... First his father had vanished without a trace, taken in by the Underland gate in their laundry room, then him and Boots. It was many months later before she even knew that they were alive, let alone where they had disappeared to. **Gregor could never do that to her again.** "We're going to have to tell them everything."

"Can do," Leif answered, hopping to his feet, er, hooves. "Just keep in mind, we can't stick around too long. Empousai don't give up **that** easy. And now that **one** monster's on your trail..."

The goat boy didn't have to finish that sentence.

* * *

It had taken the pair a little while to reach the old farmhouse, but Gregor wished it had taken longer.

The old oak creaked in greeting, now devoid of its creepy crow-like denizens. The swing swayed slightly in a light breeze, somehow seeming terribly melancholy. The entire world seemed so much different, now that Gregor knew he might not see it again for a long, long time. He climbed the wooden steps to the back door, reaching out one cautious hand and pulling the handle.

"Mom, I'm home!" he called, trying to sound a lot more optimistic than he felt. Leif tagged along behind, his goat half disguised once more...

"Gregor?" She hurried in from the other room immediately, a cell phone clutched in one hand; Gregor winced at the sight. It was obvious she had been extremely stressed... A mixture of relief and concern was written all over her face, but also clear confusion. "Thank goodness, the school called and they said there was a fire, they said it was some kind of an arson attack! What on earth happened? You have everyone worried sick!"

"Mrs. Reid," Leif interjected, "Maybe I should take it from here."

Gregor had a feeling his mother wasn't going to take this too well.

 **He was right.**

* * *

For her credit, Gregor's mom did sit and listen to the entire thing, from the start to the end. She certainly wasn't happy about it, but it was becoming more and more clear that her liking the situation really didn't make a difference.

"... Camp Half-Blood," she repeated again, trying to get used to this idea. The reality that, once again, her son was going somewhere strange, and dangerous, and confusing, and there was absolutely nothing she could do to prevent it. "How soon do you have to leave?"

"As soon as we can." Leif seemed a lot more serious now, but also a lot more uncomfortable. Gregor couldn't blame him. This didn't seem like an easy job to have, that was for sure. "We'll travel by train. It's not super cheap, but more affordable than the alternatives. Plus, without knowing his ancestry, it's probably the safest bet, too. We have a chaperone who'll meet us at the train station."

She nodded dully, noticeably pale. No doubt this was her worst nightmare... Gregor couldn't help feeling sick, knowing what this was putting her through. What it was going to put **all** of them through...

"Can you at least wait until your father gets home from work?" The question was spoken quietly, hardly more than a whisper. Gregor nodded, frowning...

"... Yeah. But I better get packing, so that I'm all ready to go." He hated this. He hated it more than he could even put into words. They came here to get away, to escape from the madness, from the prophecies, from the dangers...

And yet, here they were again.

The more things changed... The more they stayed the same.

Gregor headed up the stairs to his room without another word, dragging out an old luggage bag from under his bed... He brushed off the dust, then started going through drawers in his dresser, picking out everything he was going to need. As many batches of clothes as he could fit, his toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, soap, a couple extra jackets... A Swiss army knife with about a dozen accessories, some music CDs, a shoebox filled with letters from the Underland. A few notebooks, pens, and pencils. Some paper to send letters of his own. The little bank where he kept his spare change... A couple flashlights, too. Just in case. And in his pocket, a black plastic toy bat. _Ares._

It all felt so familiar, but not in a good way.

Gregor zipped up the navy blue travel bag, and sighed. His life, contained in one rectangular piece of luggage. When would he be coming back? Leif had said most people only stayed over the summer, but... Gregor hadn't qualified as 'most people' for a long, long time.

He wasn't sure what was coming next, but the former Warrior had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't like it.

 _'I wouldn't want anyone interrupting my audience with the famed Warrior, now would I?'_ The monster's words echoed in his head, filling the boy with dread.

 **Maybe there really was no running away from destiny.**

* * *

It was time to say goodbye.

Gregor had switched out his mildly singed jacket for a fresh one, a black hoodie with a band name on the front. Leif had briefly questioned the choice...

"It's almost summer out there. Aren't you roasting in that?"

Gregor frowned and pulled up one sleeve for a moment, revealing the pale streaks that marked his skin... Scars, more than anyone could ever count. The satyr blinked, then glanced away, a hint of guilt in his expression. Gregor pulled the cloth back down...

"... Point taken."

They headed to the front door, Gregor wheeling the luggage behind him, packing it into the trunk of their minivan. He paused, looking back to his family. When would he see them again? He didn't know. Gregor's dad had agreed to drive them there, but this might be the last he saw of the others for a long, long time.

It was almost time. He came around, giving each of his family members a parting hug... Lizzie was barely holding it together, but he could tell she was doing her best.

"I'll be okay," he told her, managing a forced smile. "I mean, it's a summer camp, it can't be all bad." The girl smiled back, but he knew she was still worried.

"Bye bye!" Boots declared brightly, waving. "See you soon!"

"See you soon, Boots!" He didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise.

"Make sure to call when you get there," his mother instructed, still just as concerned as ever. He couldn't blame her. "Stay safe, baby. "

"I will," Gregor promised, hugging her tightly. He didn't want to let go. But he did.

The teen said his final goodbyes, and received the last good wishes... And his dad took the wheel, while he and Leif got into the backseat. Gregor wasn't ready, he wasn't sure he ever would be. But this was as good as it got.

Soon enough they arrived at the train station, the minivan slowing to a stop at the front.

They got out. _I can't believe this is really happening._ Gregor grabbed his bag, extending the handle. The wheels struck concrete with a dull _**clunk.**_ He looked back to his father.

It all felt like a bad dream. A daze, drifting past. They exchanged their last goodbyes and I love yous. Gregor tried to memorize this moment, to trap it in his memory. He would make it back. **No matter what.**

"And there's our chaperone," Leif stated, gesturing. Gregor followed the other's gaze... An older man in a wheelchair. He seemed pretty unassuming, but somehow, the boy knew there had to be more to him than that. If there was one thing he'd learned already, it was that appearances could be deceiving.

With that, they headed off to meet the 'chaperone.'

* * *

As it turned out, Gregor had a lot of questions, and their new travel buddy- Chiron- had all the answers. Or at least, a lot more than Gregor would have expected... It was a bit overwhelming, but he tried to commit it all to memory.

"The Mist, huh?" He idly wondered if the Greek godly mist was related at all to what existed in the Underland. "That explains a lot, actually." Chiron nodded knowingly.

"Due to its ability to confuse ordinary mortals, monsters- like the empousa you encountered- typically go entirely unnoticed. There are some who are clear-sighted, but that is exceptionally rare. Demigods like you, however, can see through the mirages to a certain extent."

"That monster, that... Empousai? It was only after me, right?"

Chiron gave another nod... "Yes. According to what Leif was able to tell me, she was specifically after you. We've already sent someone else to investigate further, and are keeping tabs on the situation as we speak. You will be safe at camp, and we will ensure she cannot harm anyone else."

"What is camp like?" he asked, still feeling very uncertain...

"While it is a refuge," the man explained quietly, "It is also a place where demigods learn to use and control their abilities. The children of various gods are split into cabins according to their lineage; until you are claimed, you will be housing with the Hermes cabin."

"I see..." That seemed like a very strange way to divide up campers, at least to Gregor, but he figured it was better not to argue. "How long does it take to be claimed?"

"It depends," admitted Chiron with a frown, "Sometimes it happens immediately. Others, it can take weeks, months, even years."

 _Or maybe never._ Somehow, Gregor couldn't help suspecting that was a real possibility. Who knew, really? Last he checked, the gods didn't have a real great track record on 'fairness,' at least in the original myths.

Gregor wasn't sure he liked his odds, and anyway...

 **Maybe it was better not knowing.**

* * *

After the train ride, the group caught a cab, which would have been normal enough if it didn't drop them off at what seemed to be an ordinary strawberry field, right in the middle of nowhere.

Or at least, that's what Gregor thought it was at first.

"Focus," Chiron instructed as they headed into the fields... "Look past the illusion."

Gregor did as he was told, and slowly... The mirage cast by the mist faded. The teen's eyes widened... A camp shimmered into view on the other side of the fields, and a big farmhouse, not so different from the one back in Virginia. A lake, picnic tables, a campfire... Rows of cabins, which the teen was sure were the lodging he'd heard about. Distant woods, which he had a feeling were not someplace he wanted to explore. A single tree was placed right in the middle of a vast field, with something coiled around it... _Is that a dragon?_ Gregor made a note to stay far away from that.

He took it all in. This was it. The place he could be spending quite a lot of his time in the upcoming months...

"Gregor Reid," Chiron announced with a smile. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood."


End file.
